Entries in Cambodia

15 December, 2009TuesdaySpirit Houses in Thailand and Cambodia
Spirit Houses, these miniature constructions placed outside buildings, fascinate me for some reason and we saw plenty of them in Thailand and Cambodia (and they also exist in Laos too apparently).

Spirit Houses are shrines to spirits, intended to provide shelter for them, to keep them appeased and not cause any problems for the people. Offerings are often left at the house for the spirits.

Read more...10 December, 2009ThursdayAngkor Temple Ruins Excursion Costs and Summary
I went to Cambodia with little expectation, partly helped by the minimal planning required after choosing to book a tour guide. Visiting during peak season meant that it was the coolest part of the year in December, though still hot, and without risk of a monsoon. Linh and I found the people to be friendly and the whole experience in Cambodia to be superb.

The people in Cambodia seemed to face a wide gulf in wealth compared to tourists that visit. However, they were always friendly and polite and we were hardly ever bothered for money. There were plenty of children out selling their souvenirs to tourists and they could be persistent, but I admired the fact that they were at least working for their money.

Read more...10 December, 2009ThursdayCambodian Country Roadside Housing
Since we weren't used to it, riding open air for long periods in a tuk-tuk was sometimes a little tough, but at the same time, we wouldn't have had it any other way. When the weather was hot, it was a refreshing way to feel closer to everything around us in Cambodia. The view was wider and more open and great for taking photos.

Out in the rural areas, we passed plenty of housing (on stilts, similar to Longhouses in Malaysian Borneo) which although looked more primitive than the town houses, still had an appeal about them.

Read more...10 December, 2009ThursdayRoadside Cambodian Children
Linh and I spent alot of time on the road being ferried around in our open-air tuk-tuk while visiting Siem Reap. One of the lasting memories I have, are of all the children that just seem to be everywhere, from walking or cycling along the roads to just playing on the floor beside them.

If they were cycling, we'd sometimes see that the kids were way too small for the bike and it would almost be comical to me if I didn't think that they had any other choice.

Read more...10 December, 2009ThursdayCambodian People Carriers
I'm all for cutting costs, but Cambodians really know how to tighten the belt. I'm slowly getting used to seeing overloaded vehicles now in East Asia. This is coming from a country (the UK) where (I believe) the police stop cars that perhaps carry one or two extra passengers over the allocated seat space. Well, stop these!